Steering and reversing mechanism for hydrojet propulsion units for boats



Sept. 4, 1962 F. J. KENEFICK 3,052,093

STEERING AND REVERSING MECHANISM FOR HYDROJET PROPULSION UNITS FOR BOATS Filed May 24, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. FRANCIS J. KENEFICK BY WQ W ATTORNEYSv 3,052,093 STEERING AND REVERSING MECHANISM FOR HYDROJET Filed May 24, 1961 S T A 0 Sept. 4, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ill], A5

INVENTOR. FRANCIS J KENEFICK h||| BY W? Z M ATTORNEYS United Sttes Patent 3,052,093 STEERING AND REVERSING MECHANISM FOR HYDROJET PROPULSION UNITS FOR BOATS Francis J. Kene'fick, 2354 Marcia Drive, Pleasant Hill, Calif. Filed May 24, 1961, Ser. No. 112,273 Claims. (Cl. 60-35.54)

This invention relates to watercraft and more particularly to improved steering and reversing means for use on watercraft which are propelled by water pumps mounted to deliver a thrust producing jet stream of water emanating from the craft.

It is a prinicpal object of this invention to provide improved steering and reversing means for watercraft that are propelled by a generally horizontal jet stream of water emanating from a nozzle on the craft.

It is another object of the invention to provide such improved steering and reversing means by which full power and steering control can be obtained with either forward or reverse thrust of the jet stream applied to the craft.

It is another object of the invention to provide such an improved steering and reversing mechanism in which a single element may be manipulated for steering the craft with either forward or reverse thrust.

It is another object of the invention to provide such improved steering and reversing means which are simple in design and manner of operation so that it may be constructed and installed inexpensively and so that it will not require frequent adjustment when in use.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be come apparent from the following description read in conjunction with the attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view partially broken away of a power boat incorporating the improved steering and reversing means of this invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of a portion of the stern of the boat illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along the plane and in the direction indicated by the line and the arrows at 33 in FIG. 2 with the elements of the invention shown in reverse thrust position; and

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along the plane and in the direction indicated by the line and the arrows at 44 in FIG. 3 with the elements of the invention shown in forward thrust position.

Referring now in detail to the drawings and particularly to FIG. 1, a boat hull 10 having bow and stern ends 12 and 14 respectively and a bottom '16 is provided with a prime mover 18 and a pump 20 connected to and driven by the prime mover 18. The pump 20 is arranged to pump water from an intake passageway 22 and to deliv'er a jet stream of water through a nozzle 24 (see FIGS. 3 and 4). As is well known in the art, the delivery of the jet stream of water through the nozzle 24 provides a reactive thrust on the hull of the craft by which the craft is propelled through the water.

A deflector body 26 is mounted on the stern end of the watercraft 10- by means of brackets 28 and 30 (see FIGS. 3 and 4) which are bolted to the transom 32 of the boat hull. A generally vertical pin 34 is mounted on the bracket 28 and is received in an aperture in an internal support bar 36 inside the deflector body 26. A transverse yoke 38 is mounted on the deflector body 26 by a pair of spaced-apart rods 40 received in vertical passageways 42 in the deflector body 26. The yoke 38 is pivotally mounted on the bracket 30 by means of a hollow shaft 44 rigidly connected to the yoke 38 and pivotally received in an aperture in the bracket 30. A steering arm 46 is rigidly attached to the shaft 44 on top of the bracket 30 and may be manipulated to effect pivotal movement of the ice deflector body 26 about a vertical axis extending through the center of pin 34 and the center of shaft 44. As will appear hereinafter, the brackets 28 and 30 are preferably attached to the transom 32 of the boat in such a position that this vertical axis of pivotal movement of the deflector body 26 passes through the center of the jet stream of water emanating from the nozzle 24.

As most clearly seen in FIG. 4, the vertical rods 40 are provided with shoulders 48 thereon, and compression springs 50 are mounted in the passageways 42 below the shoulders 48. In this manner the compression springs 50 spring bias the deflector body 26 to a position where the shoulders 48 on the rods 40 contact shoulders 52 adjacent to the upper ends of the passageways '42 in the deflector body 26.

A forward and reverse shifting cable 54 is attached to the deflector body 26 by suitable means such as a weld 56 and extends upwardly from the deflector body 26 through the central aperture in shaft 44 and over a pulley 58 mounted on the transom of the boat. The application of tension to the forward and reverse shifting cable 54 effects movement of the deflector body 26 in opposition to biasing springs 50 so that the deflector body 26 moves from the full line position of FIG. 3 to the phantom line position of FIG. 3.

As illustrated in the drawings, the steering arm 46 and the forward and reverse shifting cable 54 extend through suitable apertures in the transom of the boat; however, these elements may extend upwardly from their illustrated positions adjacent to the bracket 30 and pass over the top of the transom 32.

The deflector body 26 is provided with an interior cavity (best seen in FIG. 3) and a generally central aperture 60 communicating with the cavity. The aperture is positioned to be in alignment with the nozzle 24 when the deflector body 26 is in its upper position, that is the position shown in FIG. 4 and the phantom outline position shown in FIG. 3. The walls of the cavity in the deflector body 26 define a pair of forward steering deflector surfaces 62 and upper and lower reverse motion surfaces 64 and 66 respectively (see FIGS. 2 and 3). The forward steering surfaces 62 extend from opposite sides of the aperture 60 and lie in substantially the same horizontally extending area as the aperture 60, and the surfaces 62 are inclined to the axis of the aperture 60 with the tangents to the surfaces 62 at points adjacent to the aperture 60 extending through the aperture 60. Accordingly, when the deflector body 26 is pivoted about the pin 34 and shaft 44 from the central position where the jet stream from nozzle 24 passes through aperture 60, the jet stream from nozzle 24 strikes one of the deflector surfaces 62 and is deflected through the aperture 60 at an oblique angle to path of the jet stream emanating from the nozzle 24-. The deflected jet stream produces a reacting thrust on the boat in a direction inclined to the axis of the nozzle 24 to permit steering of the boat.

When it is desirable to break forward motion of the boat or cause it to move rearwardly, tension is relaxed from the cable 54 permitting the deflector body 26 to assume its downward position as illustrated in FIG. 3 where the jet stream emanating from nozzle 24 impinges on the upper reverse motion deflector surface 64. The deflector surface 64 is curved to bend the jet stream from nozzle 24 downwardly and to direct it to pass across the aperture 60. Thus, the geometrical tangents to the surface 64 at points adjacent to the aperture 60 extend across the aperture 60 and intersect the surface 66. The deflector surface 66 is further curved to bend the jet stream along the path indicated by arrows 68 so that the jet stream emanates from the deflector body 26 in a direction facing opposite to the opening of aperture 60.

It should be noted that the portion of the deflector body 26 which defines the lower reverse motion surface 66 is generally scooped shape (as best illustrated in FIG. 4) with a pair of generally vertical surfaces 70 forming the side-walls of the scoop. The surfaces 66 and 70 thereby define a discharge mouth (indicated generally at 72 in FIG. 3) from which the jet stream from nozzle ema nates when deflector body 26 is in its lower position. Piv otal movement of the deflector body 26 about the verti cal pin 34 and shaft 44 pivots this discharge mouth 72 so that the manipulation of steering arm 46 while the deflector body 26 is in its lower position is effective to provide full steering control of the boat with reverse thrust.

While a preferred embodiment of this invention has been illustrated and described in detail herein, it is obvious that many modifications in the structure disclosed may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a watercraft having a hull adapted to float in a body of water, a water pump mounted 'on said hull and adapted to pump water from said body of water, and a nozzle connected to said pump and adapted to direct the fluid output of said pump as a generally horizontal jet stream of water for propelling said craft, the improved means for steering and reversing said craft comprising: a deflector body having a generally central aperture therethrough, means for mounting said deflector body in a normal position on said hull with said aperture aligned with said jet stream to pass said jet stream therethrough, steering means for pivoting said deflector body about a generally vertical axis, forward steering deflector means on said deflector body for deflecting said jet stream horizontally responsive to pivotal movement of said deflector body, reverse steering means including a delivery mouth on said deflector body facing in a direction generally opposite to said aperture and reversing deflector means positioned on said body normally out of said jet stream for deflecting said jet stream through said mouth, and reverse shifting means for moving said reversing deflector means into said jet stream.

2. In a watercraft having a hull adapted to float in a body of water, a water pump mounted on said hull and adapted to pump water from said body of water, and a nozzle connected to said pump and adapted to direct the fluid output of said pump as a generally horizontal jet stream of water for propelling said craft, the improved means for steering and reversing said craft comprising: a deflector body having a concave surface therein and a generally central aperture therethrough communicating with said concave surface, means for mounting said deflector body on said hull in fluid receiving relation to said jet stream and with said deflector body pivotally mounted for rotation about a generally vertical pivotal axis which extendsthrough said jet stream and is spaced from said aperture, steering means for pivoting said deflector body about said axis, and shifting means for moving said deflector body generally parallel to said axis between a forward motion position with said aperture positioned in alignment with said jet stream and a reverse position with said aperture positioned adjacent to said jet stream and with a reverse motion portion of said concave surface -ad-' jacent to said aperture in alignment with said jet stream whereby the reverse portion of said concave surface deflects said jet stream across said aperture.

3. The improved steering and reversing means of claim 2 in which said concave surface has a pair of forward steering surface portions on opposite sides of said aperture and lying in substantially the same horizontal plane as said aperture with said forward steering portions of said surface having edges adjacent to said aperture, the tangents to which extend through said aperture.

4. The improved steering and reversing means of claim 2 in which said reverse motion portion of said concave surface has an edge thereof adjacent to said aperture with the tangent to said reverse steering portion at said edge extending across said aperture. I

5. The improved steering and reversing means of claim 2 in which said concave surface has a reverse steering portion thereof on the side of said aperture opposite to said reverse motion portion and positioned to receive fluid flow from said reverse motion portion, said reverse steering portion being generally scoop shaped with a curved bottom wall and generally vertical side walls.

6. In a watercraft having a hull adapted to float in a body of water, a water pump mounted on said hull and adapted to pump water from said body of water, and a nozzle connected to said pump and adapted to direct the fluid output of said pump as a generally horizontal jet stream of water for propelling said craft, the improved means for steering and reversing said craft comprising: a deflector body mounted on said hull over said nozzle for pivotal movement about a vertical axis which extends through said jet stream, said deflector body having an aperture therethrough which is spaced from said axis, means for supporting said deflector body in a normal position with said aperture aligned with said jet stream through said deflector body, said deflector body having a cavity therein between said aperture and said axis with the walls of said cavity defining a pair of forward steering surfaces on opposite sides of said aperture and lying in substantially the same horizontally extending area as said aperture and a pair of reverse steering surfaces on opposite sides of said aperture and lying in substantially the same vertically extending area as said aperture, said forward steering surfaces being inclined to said aperture with the tangents thereto at points adjacent to said aperture extendingthrough said aperture, one of said reverse steering surfaces being curved with the tangents thereto at points adjacent to said aperture extending across said aperture in.- side of said cavity and the other of said reverse steering surfaces being curved and having one end thereof intersecting said tangents to said one reverse steering surface and the other end thereof terminating in a discharge mouth facing generally horizontally and in a direction opposite to said aperture, said other reverse steering surtace having a pair of generally vertical side wall portions on opposite sides of said axis, forward and reverse shifting means for moving said deflector body between said normal position with said jet stream directed toward said horizontally extending area of said aperture and said forward steering surfaces and a reverse motion position with said jet stream directed toward said one reverse steering surface, and steering means for pivoting said deflector body about said axis when said body is in said normal position and reverse motion position.

7. The improved steering and reversing means of claim 6 in which said one reverse steering surface terminates at a first edge adjacent to said aperture; said other reverse steering surface terminates in a second edge. adjacent to said aperture, and said first edge lies closer to said axis than said second edge.

8. The improved steering and reversing means of claim 6 in which said shifting means comprises means. for moving said deflector body longitudinally of said axis.

9. The improved steering and reversing means of claim 6 in which said one reverse steering surface lies vertically above said other reverse steering surface, and said shifting means comprises slidable mounting means supporting said deflector body on said hull and permitting sliding movement of said deflector body between an upper, forward motion position and a lower, reverse motion position, spring biasing means resiliently urging said deflector body into said lower position, and a shifting cable attached to said deflector body for pulling said deflector body into said upper position.

10. A watercraft having a hull with a bottom, a bow end and a stern end, a Water pump mounted on said hull and having an intake passageway extending through said bottom of said hull, a fluid delivery nozzle mounted on said stern end of said hull adjacent to said bottom of said hull and connected to said pump to direct the fluid output of said pump as a generally horizontal jet stream for propelling said craft, and means for steering and reversing said craft comprising: a deflector body mounted on said stern end of said hull over said nozzle for pivotal movement about a vertical axis which extends through said jet stream, said deflector body having an aperture therethrough which is spaced from said axis and a cavity therein surrounding said aperture and defining a pair of forward steering surfaces and a pair of reverse steering surfaces adjacent to said aperture and facing toward said axis, said forward steering surfaces lying in substantially the same horizontally extending area as said aperture and on opposite sides of said aperture with the tangents thereto at points adjacent to said aperture extending through said aperture, said reverse steering surfaces lying in substantially the same vertically extending area as said aperture with an upper one of said reverse steering surfaces lying above said aperture and being curved with the tangents thereto at points adjacent to said aperture extending across said aperture and with a lower one of said reverse steering surfaces lying below said aperture and intersecting said tangents to said upper surface, said lower reverse steering surface being generally scoop shaped with a curved bottom surface extending downwardly from said aperture and toward said axis and a pair of generally vertical side surfaces on opposite sides of said axis with said scoop shaped lower surface terminating in a discharge mouth facing generally horizontally and in a direction opposite to said aperture, forward and reverse shifting means for sliding said deflector body in a direction parallel to said axis between a forward motion position with said aperture aligned with said jet stream and said deflector positioned above said bottom of said hull and a reverse motion position with said upper reverse steering surface intercepting said jet stream and said mouth of said lower reverse steering surface positioned below said bottom of said hull, and steering means for pivoting said deflector body about said axis when said body is in said forward and reverse motion positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,024,274 Campini Dec. 17, 1935 

